The Mérida City Hall offers a free cultural activity for residents and visitors every day of the week. The colorful folklore, music, dance, the delicate craftsmanship of hipiles and rebozos, the energy of Mexican mariachi, the memory of the historical past, the evocation of ancient customs, the respect for religious tradition, the syncretism of pre-Hispanic and European, the influence of the Caribbean, the pleasure of dancing and living together, the new language of mestizaje. Everything comes together week after week in the cultural program of free traditional events of our Mérida, made to enjoy and live together.
Monday
Vaquería Yucateca: the "Vaquería" is reminiscent of the old "village festivals" of the XVII century, which took place in the primitive cattle ranches where the cattle shoeing party was framed by dances and festivities organized by the owner of the hacienda. One of the most awaited dances was precisely the "Vaquería", attended by the cowboys and their wives. This custom is recreated every Monday with a program in which traditional dances such as "la angaripola" or the "huachapeo" on the drawers or "almudes" take place. Live music by the Orquesta Jaranera del Ayuntamiento de Mérida creates a special festive atmosphere.
Location: Calle 62 between 63 and 61, Centro. Bajos del Palacio Municipal.
Hours: 9 pm - 10 pm
Tuesday
Musical Memories: Rarely do music, tradition and the environment merge in such a perfect way; This is what happens on the nights when in Santiago Park the notes of the Jaranera Orchestra lull couples under the charm of immortal songs. This park is heir to the ancient pre-Hispanic towns that gave rise to the city and, for generations, Merida residents have gathered there at night to enjoy the fresh air and meet friends. This joyful coexistence finds its highest point when the cha-cha-chá, the mambo and the danzón start and the couples embark on the rhythm as if sailing through the night.
Location: Calle 57 between 70 and 72, Downtown. Santiago Park.
Hours: 8:30 pm – 10 pm
Wednesday
“Dialogues of the Conqueror” Video mapping: the façade of Casa de Montejo is a jewel of Plateresque art and is an allegory of the history of Francisco de Montejo's family, El Adelantado. Through digital mapping, the elements that are sculpted in the building are explained in detail, which serves as a setting for a stage dialogue between Francisco de Montejo and an indigenous leader, both protagonists of our foundation. The show culminates with Yucatecan folk dance, which very clearly establishes the fusion between the two cultures. It is presented in Spanish with English subtitles.
Location: Calle 63 between 60 and 62, Downtown. House of Montejo
Hours: 8:30 pm summer time / 8 pm winter time
Night visit to the Cemetery: with his extensive knowledge of the history of this site, our guide will take you through the tombs, mausoleums and rotundas of illustrious people who are buried in this holy field, while telling you anecdotes about those men and women who forged the history of our state. Come and learn about the different funerary rites that have existed in Mérida from pre-Hispanic times to the present day, and the various architectural styles of the mausoleums and tombs.
Location: Calle 66 diagonal by 90, Center. Interior of the General Cemetery.
Time: 8 p.m.
Thursday
Serenade in Santa Lucía: since January 14, 1965, the Plaza de Santa Lucía is the weekly setting for the most emblematic of traditional events: the “Serenade of Santa Lucía”. A program created to offer a space of remembrance to Yucatecan composers. The park, of great architectural beauty, was a corner where Guty Cárdenas, a composer who is the pride of Yucatán, went to sing in his younger years in this romantic corner of Mérida that today, Thursday after Thursday, once again invokes music and the poetry.
Location: Calle 60 by 55, Downtown. Santa Lucia Park.
Time: 9 p.m.
Friday
“Sacred Stones” Video mapping: it is a video mapping show on the façade of the Cathedral of San Ildefonso. It combines various 3D and 2D animation techniques to deliver a historical account of the creation of the building, built with the stones of the ancient Mayan city of Thó, as well as its meaning for the inhabitants of this city. The audiovisual journey is accompanied by a 12-verse narrative created exclusively for the cathedral and the musicalization is accompanied by the members of the choir of the city of Mérida and their sacred songs.
Location: Calle 60 by 61 and 63, Center. Esplanade of the Cathedral of San Ildefonso.
Time: 8:30 pm
Saturday
“Pok ta Pok” Mayan ball game: game and ritual, Pok ta Pok is a Mayan representation of cosmic cycles to ask for fertility and please the gods. In it, two teams compete to pass a solid rubber ball through a narrow hoop located about three meters high, and the players can only touch it with their forearms, knees and hips. In Mayan cities, Pok ta Pok was performed on significant astronomical dates such as the equinoxes and solstices, in addition to those that mark sowing and harvest. In the recreation of this rite, which the Mérida City Council makes possible, the deep spirituality of this game is experienced again.
Location: Calle 60 by 61 and 63, Center. Esplanade of the Cathedral of San Ildefonso.
Time: 8:30 pm
Mexican Night: Mérida is also Mexico. And in it, music and national folklore have top-level exponents who every week enrich the traditional celebration of the “Mexican Night”, a celebration that brings together music, voices, traditional dances from other entities and regions of the country, singers, composers , dancers, actors and performers and numerous special guests who offer their originality and creativity to the Merida public; The setting is the so-called “Remate” or “Start” of Paseo de Montejo, the head of the main avenue of the city, where stalls selling crafts, food and typical drinks are also installed.
Location: 47th Street by 56-A, Downtown. Paseo de Montejo auction.
Time: 8 p.m.
Sunday
Mérida on Sunday: since the 1980s, every Sunday, the Historic Center of Merida closes its streets to vehicular traffic and transforms into a large urban fair, with a wide range of activities and food and drinks. During that day in which the streets are covered with vendors of authentic Yucatecan crafts, old books and other curiosities, recreational activities, educational activities for children and folklore shows are also offered such as the busy traditional “Vaquería” and the beautiful “Boda Mestiza”.
Location: Historic center of Mérida.
Hours: 9 am - 9 pm
Bike-route: the Paseo de Montejo bike-route is an event held to promote sports and family coexistence. Tour the most representative historical sites from Paseo de Montejo to the Ermita de Santa Isabel, and it is an excellent opportunity to do physical activity and explore the most beautiful streets of the city. The same route can be enjoyed at night on the first Saturday of each month, with the breeze and night lighting.
Location: Historic center of Mérida.
Hours: 8 am – 12:30 pm (Sundays) / 6 pm – 10 pm (first Saturday of the month)
Information from the City Council of Mérida
Related articles
